Wax compositions



Patented Jan. 1, 1952 WAX CODIPOSITIONS John Mann Butler, Dayton, Ohio,assignor to Monsanto Chemical Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofDelaware No Drawing. Application July 16, 1948, Serial No. 39,202

8 Claims. (Cl. 2li028.5)

This invention relates to wax or wax-contain- I ing compositions havingimproved toughness and relates particularly to compositions which areadapted to be used in connection with the impregnation and coating offibrous products, such as paper, textiles, leather and wood.

An object of this invention is to improve the physical properties ofwaxes or compositions containing waxes of various types and proportions.Another object is to provide compositions which are adapted toimpregnating paper or paper products, particularly for impregnatingpaper which is to be used for wrapping or for the forming of objects ofpaper where some degree of adhesiveness is required.

It has now been discovered that, polystyrene which has been alkylated byreaction with polymeric propylene is in certain proportions completelycompatible with hydrocarbon waxes, and the homogeneous blends thereofhave unusual and very desirable physical properties; such as improvedtensile strength, elongation, hardness, gloss and adhesion to paper,metal, wood and synthetic resins. Suitable waxes are the paraffin waxes,including both the microcrystalline waxes and the lower melting paraffinwaxes, and the earth waxes, such as ceresin or ozokerite. The newcompositions may be made by mixing from 40 to 99.98 percent by weight ofthe paraffin wax and from 60 to 0.02 percent of said alkylatedpolystyrene, but preferred compositions will have 80 or more percent ofthe Wax, the percentages being based on the total wax and alkylatedpolystyrene in the composition. Various other modifying agents, such asfillers, plasticizers, pigments and adhesives, may be added as desiredin the manner conventional in the art of coating compositions.

The polystyrenes used in the practice of this invention are those havingmolecular weights between 10,000 and 1,000,000, and preferably thosebetween 60,000 and 300,000. The alkylation may be accomplished byreaction of the polystyrene with polymeric f'propylene in the mannerdescribed and claimed in copending application, Serial No. 670,041,filed by John Mann Butler and 'Joachim Dazzi on May 15, 1946, nowabandoned,

by which method the alkylation is conducted in the presence of analuminum chloride catalyst and 2. nitro compound.

.The propylene polymers for use in preparing the alkylated polystyreneused in the practice of this invention may be prepared by polymerizingpropylene in the presence of solid phosphoric acid catalyst andfractionating the liquid mixture so obtained. The fraction boilingbetween and 235 C. is useful but the best results are secured by usingthe fraction boiling between 175 C. and 225 C. I

The present compositions may be applied to paper, textiles, or generallyany fibrous material by impregnation or coating such as by dipping thematerial into the molten composition, or in solutions of the compositionin suitable solvents. Such application may be made by hand by merelydipping the material to be impregnated or coated into the moltencomposition or into a solution of the same in a suitable solvent. Ifdesired, application may be made by machine in which continuous fabricsof the material to be treated are drawn through the baths of thecompounds herein disclosed, or by calender rolls, heated if desired,which force the solid composition into the interstices of the fibrouscomposition being impregnated. Application to the surface 01' papers,felt, cloth, or other fabrics may be accomplished by use of a spreadingtechnique, whereby the thickness of the application is regulated bymeans of adjustable spreader bars or doctor blades in the manner wellknown to the art.

Suitable hydrocarbon waxes for blending with alkylated polystyrene inaccordance with this invention are the waxes ing points over F. andpreferably those which remain relatively hard and rigid at temperaturesup to F. Of particular importance are the microcryst-alline paramn waxeshaving melting po nts between F. and 200 F. the low melting parailins,and the hydrocarbon earth waxes, for example the refined ceresin.

Further details of the practice of this invention are set forth withrespect to the following specific examples.

Example 1 A polystyrene having a molecular weight of 70,000 wasalkylated by reaction with a mixture of propylene polymers having anaverage of 12 carbon atoms per molecule and boiling over the range of to225 C. at atmospheric pressure. Fifteen parts by weight of the alkylatedpolystyrene so produced was mixed with 85 parts of a microcrystallineparafiin wax having a melting point of 172 F. The blend was made bymelting the parafiin and thoroughly mixing the alkylated polystyrenetherein by vigorous stirring. Samples of the microcrystalline paraflinwax and samples of the blend were prepared by casting and the tensilestrength and elongation were measured using conventional test equipment.

having melting or softenaoeopoe The following results indicate that theincorporation of the alkylated polystyrene in the wax serves to increaseboth tensile strength and elongation.

Tensile Strength, Elongation,

lbs. per percent sq. in.

Microcrystaillne if? a dk Fliers m 33 parspsra n an parts alkylatcdpolystyrene 255 66 Example 2 The procedure of Example 1, was duplicatedexcept that a microcrystalline paraffin wax having a melting point of180 F. was used. The following test data indicates that substantialimprovements in both tensile strength and elongation of the blend wasobtained.

Tensile Strength, Elongation.

lbs. per percent sq. in.

Parafiin Wax (M. R180 F.). 370 1 85 parts paraffin (M. P. 180 F.) and450 10 15 parts alkylated polystyrene Example 3 The following materialswere blended by melting micrccrystalline paraflin waxes and stirring inalkylated polystyrene made by the method described in Example 1.

Parts by weight Alkylated polystyrene made from propylene trimer 22.5Microcrystalline paraflln wax (M. P. 172

Microcrystalline paramn wax (M. .P.

This composition was used to coat paper and was found to produce a toughsomewhat elastic coating with excellent adhesion.

Example 4 A hard paper coating composition was prepared by blending tenparts of the alkylated polystyrene of Example 1, with ninety parts ofthe microcrystalline paraflin wax having a melting point of 172 F. Theblending was achieved by melting the polystyrene until a homogeneousmixture was formed.

Example 5 Fifty parts by weight of a microcrystalline co parafiin waxhaving a melting point of 172 F. was melted and 30 parts by weight of apolystyrene alkylated by reaction described in Example 1. Thereafter 15parts by weight of hydrogenated glyceryl phthalyl butyl glycolate wereadded and thoroughly blended. This product was used to impregnate paperwhich was valuable in wrapping cheese due to its ability to resistcracking and crushing, and to withstand the rough hand- 70 lingencountered in shipping operations.

Example 6 A paper with a highly glossy surface, useful as a decorativewrappin material for food paekas- 1s wax and stirring in the alkylated65 abietate and 5 parts of butyl 65 ing was made by coating paper with ablend of the following materials.

Parts by weight Alkylated polystyrene (Example 1) 15 Paraffln wax, M. P.146-148 C 84 Terpene res 18 Dioctyl phthalate 5 Pigment 8 Example 7 Acoated paper useful in wrapping bread and other food stufls by reason ofits more adhesive nature was prepared by blending the followingmaterials.

Parts by weight Microcrystalline wax, M. P. 172' F 20 Alkylatedpolystyrene (Example 1) 8 Paraffin wax, M. P. 146148 F 72 Example 8 PerCent Alkylated Tensile, lbs. per Polystyrene 11 sq. inc

The untreated wax was also measured and the average of severalmeasurements was 133 pounds per square inch.

Example 9 The procedure of Example 8 was repeated except that thealkylated polystyrene was prepared from a polystyrene having a molecularweight of 730,000. The following table sets forth the measured tensilestrengths and a control on the wax made under identical conditions.

Per Cent Alkylated Tensile, lbs. per

sq. inch Polystyrene Although the invention has been described withrespect to specific embodiments, it is not intended that the detailsthereof shall be construed as limitations upon the scope of theinvention except to the extent incorporated in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A coating composition comprising a hydrocarbon wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene made by reacting polystyrene with a propylene polymer, saidwax being present to the extent of from 40 to 99.98 percent by weight ofthe total of the wax and alkylated polystyrene. V

2. A coating composition comprising a hydrocarbon wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene made by reacting polystyrene with a propylene polymerboiling between 1-75 C. and 225 C. at atmospheric pressure, said waxbeing present to the extent of from 60 to 99.98 percent by weight of thetotal 01' the wax and alkylated polystyrene.

3. A coating composition comprising a paramn wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene made by reacting polystyrene with a propylene polymer, saidwax being present to the extent of from 60 to 99.98 percent by weight ofthe total of the wax and the alkylated polystyrene.

4. A coating composition comprising a paraflin wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene made by reacting polystyrene with a propylene polymerboiling between 175 C. and 225 C. at atmospheric pressure, said waxbeing present to the exent of from 60 to 99.98 percent by weight of thetotal of the wax and alkyiated polystyrene.

5. A coating composition comprising a hydrocarbon wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene having a molecular weight of 60,000 to 1,000,000, made byreacting polystyrene with a propylene polymer, said wax being present tothe extent of from 60 to 99.98 percent by weight of the total of the waxand alkylated polystyrene.

6. A coating composition comprising a hydrocarbon wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene having a molecular weight of the'total of the'wax andalkylated polystyrene.

7. A coating composition comprising a paraflln wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene having a molecular weight of 60,000 to 1,000,000, made byreacting polystyrene with a propylene polymer, said wax being present tothe extent oi from 60 to 99.98 percent by weight of the total of thewax.

and the alkylated polystyrene.

8. A coating composition comprising a paramn wax and an alkylatedpolystyrene having a molecular weight of 60,000 to 1,000,000, made byreacting polystyrene with a propylene polymer, boiling between 175 C.and 225 C. at atmospheric pressure, said wax being present to the extentof from 60 to 99.98 percent by weight of the total of the wax andalleviated polystyrene.

JOHN MANN BUTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,072,120 Mikeskaet al. Mar. 2,1937

1. A COATING COMPOSITION COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON WAX AND AN ALKYLATEDPOLYSTYRENE MADE BY REACTING POLYSTYRENE WITH A PROPYLENE POLYMER, SAIDWAX BEING PRESENT TO THE EXTENT OF FROM 40 TO 99.98 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OFTHE TOTAL OF THE WAX AND ALKYLATED POLYSTYRENE.